Stricter monitoring of tween and teen internet use may not always be better

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Linda Charmaraman, Wellesley College; Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, Wellesley College, and J. Maya Hernandez, University of California, Irvine

(THE CONVERSATION) A national conversation about potential links between smartphones and digital media and the ongoing teen mental health crisis has reached a fever pitch.

Research does not definitively show that excessive screen time causes teen anxiety or depression, though research is ongoing. Still, in June 2024, the U.S. surgeon general called for warning labels to be placed on social media, stating that “the mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor.”

But some researchers are expressing concerns that these warnings are too broad. Still, it’s no wonder that...